Thursday, March 29, 2012

Coffee Cozy

I cut these out on the last craft retreat I went to, and then decided to go home at a decent time on Sunday instead of sewing them up. Last night, Grace helped me match buttons to each one and I sewed them on. Made 100% from materials I already had, I like how they turned out. And of course they are all backed in repurposed jeans. Here are my coffee cozys:

Most people would make something because they had a plan for it. Not me. These are another item I made with no real plan, I just knew I had all the materials to make them, so I did. As I've completed them I've decided they will just be used to bless some people I love. I'll probably include a small coffee shop gift card. Maybe one will be left in a mailbox, another might get mailed. One will probably go for my friend who is doing my hair for the prom on Friday. Another for a friend who is having a challenging time in most areas of her life right now. Now I'm excited to give them away.

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One woman who will get one of these blessed me the other day when she heard God's heart for me.

I was sharing in a class that I help lead and told how I was on the South Beach Diet wagon, and how I'd fallen off the South Beach Diet wagon, and was now trying to get back on. I have lost some weight, but not as much as I hoped, but that I wasn't giving up, I know God is in it wanting to break off my 'need' for sugar.

Later, she told me to stop being so hard on myself. That as a parent, I should know that God isn't looking at me with disgust. She compared it to having a baby who is learning to walk. When your child takes their first steps, you drop everything and cheer. You don't tell them, "Eh, that was okay, but it was really only a step and then you fell. Next time try harder and I'll be here when you get it right." You keep encouraging them to try over and over again.

That's what God is doing with me. He loves that I'm stepping out, listening to Him and following Him. He's cheering me on and when I stumble, He stops to see if I need help or if I can get up myself, gaining strength from His presence. He cheers. For me. And I have strength to try again. Soon I'll be running, and He'll still be cheering.